The Unknown
by Rai
Summary: Chapter 9 up Has become more Angst filled...What if Mac had never joined the Marines and actually worked as a civilian lawyer. Been a long while since I've updated.
1. The Unknown

Whit if Mac had never joined the Marines and worked instead as a civilian lawyer? Just me wondering lying awake at three am, really sick with the flu. More people are welcome to write their own versions of this. suggestion? Yeah I guess that's the right word, just let me know. Cheers Rai  
  
This is as always for my mum 1954-2001  
  
Story: The Unknown Author:Rai Rating: PG Harm and Mac Shipper.  
  
I don't own them, some other lucky devils do. I have made no money from this. This is my first JAG fanfic so please let me know what you think, constructive criticism makes my day. More will be added on demand.  
  
  
  
Friday, 0900  
  
Windsor and Mackenzie  
  
Falls Church, VA  
  
Sarah Mackenzie sighed, rubbing her brow, she had had almost enough of this rude obnoxious Sargent. He had been accused of killing his commanding officer, because the Major had voiced his concern about the Sergeants methods of training new recruits. Only a few moments before he had begun a rant, insulting Sarah, her work, and had only quietened when Commander Harmon Rabb had ordered him to sit.  
  
"Sargent I would strongly advise you to sit down. I should hope that Commander Rabb has explained to you that although I am not a military JAG lawyer, I do know about Criminal Law, and as such I would very much advise you to sit down and be quiet. It is in your own best interests to listen to what I have to say as a second point of view, and Sargent.If you ever raise your voice toward me Civilian or no, you will regret it very much, this is my office, I am meeting with you as a favour to Commander Rabb and I truly do not appreciate people coming into here an raising their voice, and insulting me. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
Sargent Brian Mathews nodded.  
  
"Yes Ma'am. I understand"  
  
Mac nodded. "Good, now shall we continue? Commander Rabb, is there anything else you would like to add?" 


	2. Flattery will get you nowhere

Friday, 1730 Windsor and Mackenzie Sarah "Mac" Mackenzie's office.  
  
Falls Church, VA  
  
Mac sighed again. It had been one of those days. She was longing to get home, put her feet up for the weekend and forget about work. But as is so often the case, it was not going to happen. Her weekend would no doubt be filled with paper work as well as the inevitable housework. She was interrupted from this session of, self pity, which was very quickly becoming self-denial, by a no holes bared cough/murmur from her door way. She looked up to see Harm, leaning against the doorframe, wearing his dress whites.  
  
"Councillor, are you well this evening? You look particularly beautiful. And, might I add, you were magnificent when we spoke earlier." Harm grinned impishly, and walked into her office, taking a seat on her couch, and leaning back placing his feet on her coffee table. Mac chuckled and smirked slightly.  
  
"I see Commander Rabb. Well flattery will get you nowhere. Although I do respond to food. Large amounts of greasy, meat filled, artery clogging food."  
  
Harm laughed. "All right Mac, but only because I love you. Am I still taking Alex this weekend?"  
  
Mac smiled. "As long as you want to live Flyboy. But, and I'll no doubt remind you over and over again. He is ten, he at the moment is being a monster, and besides AJ, and me you are his favourite person in the whole wide world. Talk to him Harm; get him to do what he's told. He listens to you."  
  
Harm nodded and extending his arm to her escorted her from her office and downstairs and to her apartment. 


	3. Sky Born

Thankyou for all the reviews. It's sooooo nice to hear what people think. And I write MOM because that is what Alex would say, but I want it to be known*stands on her soapbox* That as an Australian, saying/even writing the word Mom goes against EVERYTHING I've ever been taught. The word is MUM people. *Laughs manically * As a nation you've massacred English*continues to laugh manically* Off to take over a small country in the name of the queen now. Ok, so maybe I'm a republican.((note Australian Republicans DIFFERENT to US ones))  
  
All right I'll stop my rant*G*  
  
~Rai~  
  
I still don't own them. Not much has changed in the last 24 hours.  
  
  
  
Friday, 1800  
  
Home of Sarah Mackenzie  
  
Falls Church, VA  
  
Pulling up outside Mac's house the two, after unbuckling their seat belts and opening the car door, walked up the path to her building. They rode the elevator in silence and exiting the elevator walked to her door, where Mac removed her key. The door swung open to reveal a child of ten, standing there, a look of extreme annoyance on his face.  
  
"Mom. You are late. Twenty eight minutes late." He looked over to see Harm standing there, trying rather unsuccessfully not to laugh.  
  
"Dad! You're here; Mom said you might not be able to come because of the case you were working on. The Matthews case. You're here Dad!" With that the child dived into his fathers arms. Hugging him tightly. Harm grinned.  
  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world Tiger, so you all ready? We're going to see Grandma and Poppy. We'd better get going. Say bye to your Mom."  
  
Alex grinned in triumph. "Grandma Trish and Poppy Frank are so cool Dad, they let me stay up late, just as long as I promise not to tell you. Poppy Frank says that when I grow up, I can do anything I want, just as long as I work hard. Dad? I've decided that I want to fly planes."  
  
Harm nodded. "We'll talk about this later, go grab your stuff, and say bye to your Mom."  
  
Alex saluted harm and wiggled his way down, running off to get his things. Harm looked to Mac.  
  
"I didn't encourage him Mac, I promise, he's come to this conclusion all by himself."  
  
Mac nodded. " I know Flyboy, he just loves planes so much. I've always known that's what he would want."  
  
Alex returned half carrying half dragging his bag in one hand, carrying a model Tomcat in the other. "Bye Mom, I'll be good for Grandma and Grandpa, I love you." Mac scooped him up, hugging him.  
  
"I know sweetie, be good for your Dad, I don't want any bad reports. All right?" Alex nodded.  
  
"I love you Alex. Be good" She put him down gently. " Get out of here you two, I'll see you both later. Take care and stay out of trouble"  
  
Harm grinned and gave Mac a kiss on the cheek. "Would the two of us ever get into trouble?.All right don't answer that. Bye Mac." The two waved and walked out to the car, the two could be excitedly chatting away about things that had happened since they saw each other last, and what was going to happen this weekend. Mac laughed and walked back inside, where a voice could be heard half murmuring to themselves about a recipe not working.  
  
"Hello sweetie" He said.  
  
Mac grinned. " Food not working out darl?" 


	4. No Romantic Involvement

Sorry for not writing more, I had writers block. Who am I kidding? I knew what I wanted to write, I just love torturing people, especially my best friend Dacqmar*evil grin* Yay! Reviews make me function  
  
Cheers.  
  
Rai  
  
I STILL don't own them. I think perhaps I'm not talking to the right people.  
  
**************************************************************************** ****************************  
  
Friday, 1810  
  
Home of Sarah Mackenzie  
  
Falls Church, VA  
  
"Hello sweetie" He said.  
  
Mac grinned. " Food not working out Darl?"  
  
David Winston, civilian lawyer and Mac's husband shook his head. " I don't think it would work if I was the best chef in the world. I swear it has a grudge against me. Harm and Alex gone?"  
  
Mac nodded, and could hardly have missed the look of satisfaction that David had at that moment. "You don't like him do you David."  
  
David frowned. "Which one? Harm is all right, if you don't mind egotistical Naval lawyers."  
  
Mac laughed. "Just the answer I didn't want to hear." She frowned. "Get out."  
  
David sighed. "Sarah, what are you talking about? You are being unreasonable, I just said I thought Harm was all right."  
  
Mac nodded. "You did, but what about my son? He is his fathers' child. He will grow to be like Harm, he's already there. I'll pick Alex over you any day. Now get out."  
  
David shook his head, not moving. "Sarah, you are a beautiful brilliant woman, don't you think that maybe, -maybe- you are being unreasonable? You are -my- wife, not Rabbs, Mine!"  
  
Mac shook her head. "No, I am Sarah Mackenzie. I don't belong to anyone. Get out. You've always been cold to Alex, and downright rude to Harm. I thought that maybe you would understand things. But obviously I was wrong. Alex is my child, he is Harms son. If you were smart you'd have recognised that there is NO romantic involvement between us. NOTHING! You know the story of how Alex was born, we dated a little while, it didn't work out and we were blessed with Alex. And we will always be close, we, no I need to do what is best for my son. And you are not the best thing for him, or me. Now get out!"  
  
David bellowed, "I will not! You will not raise you're voice to me. Ever! Do you understand Sarah?"  
  
Mac laughed, but there was no humour in the action. "Or what David? You'll hit me?" She stood there, hands on hips.  
  
David sighed. "I'm sorry you'd think I'd do that to you Sarah, I'm sorry I gave you that impression. Tears welled in her eyes. "GET OUT!" She stood there defiantly as he packed a bag and left, but as his car pulled out of the lot. She broke down and wept. 


	5. Fold Out Couch

1940  
  
Home of Trish and Fran Barnett  
  
She didn't know how long she'd sat there, in the dark, on her cold kitchen floor. The phone had rung twice and there had just been a knock at the door. They'd go away. It couldn't be that important. It was when she heard a key in the door that she had become concerned, but she was so exhausted that she really couldn't do anything. Anything but just sit there. So it was a mixture of annoyance and relief when she heard the familiar banter of Harmon Rabb.  
  
"Mac are you here? Your car is in the lot. David's isn't. You here? Mac? Alex forgot to pack..well he forgot to pack clothes. Got a lot of model planes and magazines, not a lot of clothes, except a tee shirt. Mac?  
  
"Go away Harm" She sniffed.  
  
"Mac where are you?" He frowned and began searching the apartment. He walked into the kitchen and saw her slumped on the floor. "Mac!" He yelped. "Are you all right? What happened? Why are you sitting in the dark? Where is David?" He ran to her side, checking her as quickly as he could to see if she was injured, he ran his hand gently over her arms, legs chest, face. Nothing sexual about it. Just someone concerned for his or her best friend.  
  
"Did he hit you Mac?" He growled.  
  
"No." She whispered. "I kicked him out." She began to sob.  
  
Harm didn't say anything, just nodded, took her to the bathroom so she could wash her face, redo her makeup, and left her only to pack a bag of clothes, for both Alex and Mac. He grabbed her makeup bag from the bathroom, as well as the book from her bedside table.  
  
"You're coming with me Mac. Let's go."  
  
She was so exhausted she merely nodded and was led, like a child to the waiting car. After helping her into the car and fastening her seatbelt Harm climbed in. He turned to look at Alex asleep in the back seat. He looked so like his mother, but his eyes, there was no mistaking he was a Rabb. He shook himself from his revere turning back to look at Mac, now almost asleep, it had taken only moments. She'd soon be asleep. So he left for his Mother and Frank's house.  
  
Trish didn't protest, nor did she make any comment other than one of hello and murmuring her motherly concerns when Harm pulled up, an hour late, carrying in first a sleeping Alex, placing him on the bed in his old room. Nor did she comment, except to say the spare bed was made up, when Harm lifted a sleeping Mac and placed her on the bed in the spare bedroom. He removed her shoes, and her jacked and although she had woken momentarily she was asleep before her head hit the pillow. He tucked her in walking out of the room so Trish could shut the door quietly. She walked downstairs to make up the fold out couch for Harm. Harm had walked up the hall to check on Alex. The young boy was asleep, so he removed his sons' shoes, tucked him in, and gave the boy a gentle kiss on the forehead. Harm removed from Alex's bag, the one containing toys, a model Tomcat, and placed it on the bedside table, beside models that Harm him had owned as a boy. He then walked downstairs to give his mother a kiss and a hug.  
  
"Mom, sorry we were late, something came up."  
  
"Something with Mac?"  
  
He nodded. "She can stay here the weekend can't she?"  
  
Trish nodded. "Of course, she's always welcome here, you know that. We'll talk in the morning. Get some sleep Son. I love you." She grinned, and gave her son a hug.  
  
He hugged her back. "Goodnight Mom. I love you too. Thankyou for letting us stay."  
  
She grinned. "Anytime my boy. Anytime." Giving him a kiss on the cheek, she walked upstairs, and Harm, exhausted, fell asleep on the newly made replacement bed. 


	6. Pancake Mix

Thank you very much to Dacqmar, the bestest friend a girl could have and a reasonably good Beta reader and all round motivator. I am very grateful to those that have reviewed the story, please, keep them coming.  
  
I still don't own them, believe it or not.  
  
  
  
  
  
0212 Harms Appartment  
  
Mac stirred and looked around. She rolled over and looked at her alarm clock already knowing the time. 2:12 am. It was strange waking up in Harm's spare bed room. She had been staying with him for the last week.  
  
She could hear coming from the kitchen, the muffled giggles of her son and Harm, then came the louder.  
  
"Shush! We don't want to wake you're mother."  
  
"But Dad!" Was the giggled reply, "You're making more noise than me."  
  
The strange thing about trying to be quiet is that when you -try- to be quiet, you always make more noise than if you were merely going about your business. A metal bowl crashed to the floor, echoing on the wooden parquetry floor.  
  
"Oops, Alex get a rag." More giggling.  
  
Mac smiled and walked out to the kitchen. She couldn't help but laugh when confronted with the scene before her. Alex was sitting atop the kitchen counter. Patches of pancake mixture and flour, on his face, his shirt and all thought his hair. He saluted his mother, with a pancake covered egg beater and succeeded only in getting more mixture on his pajamas and the bench. Harm looked up, his face covered by flour in much the same way as his son's.  
  
"Sorry to wake you Mac" He said, smiling sheepishly, examining the flour covered kitchen. "We got hungry."  
  
Mac laughed. "And cooking is such messy work. How can I help?"  
  
Harm grinned and gestured to the mixing bowl. She chuckled and rolling up her sleeves helped Alex to stir the mixture while Harm turned on the frying pan. Within ten minutes, Mac herself had a large amount of flour in her hair and on her face. To start with, she had wondered how it was possible to get that much flour everywhere. But she soon discovered that Alex liked dipping his hands in the flour and brushing his hands through their hair when they weren't looking.  
  
It didn't take long for the pancakes to be cooked and the three sat on the kitchen benches, almost covered from head to toe in flour and ate the product of their midnight kitchen raid. When Alex began to yawn Mac chuckled.  
  
"Come on Tiger, back to bed. It's late, or rather early, and you've got school tomorrow."  
  
The boy was exhausted, excited and exhausted, but the exhaustion overruled the excitement and so he complied and giving his father a hug was led to the bathroom to wash his face and clean his teeth. He then climbed into bed.  
  
"Goodnight Mom. Sleep well."  
  
"Goodnight Alex, sleep well Darl."  
  
She walked from the room back to the kitchen where Harm was cleaning up. She helped him in silence and soon the kitchen was spotless again.  
  
"Mac.you you want coffee? A, a drink?"  
  
She shook her head. "No thank you Harm, it'd keep me up."  
  
He nodded. "Yeah, guess so, anyway, uh, goodnight Mac. Sleep well." He nodded and without waiting for a reply headed for his room.  
  
"Goodnight Harm." She called out, and sighing went to the bathroom to clean her teeth again. She walked back to her room and climbed into bed. Turning off the light, she heard a few minutes later, Harm going to the bathroom to clean his teeth. A few more minutes passed and his footsteps could be heard going up the hall and his light was turned off. Mac sighed and rolled over to go to sleep, as did Harm, but unknowingly, they both spent many hours lying awake, both unable to get back to sleep. 


	7. Answering Machine

Many thanks to Dacqmar, for "Being David" Please check out her story One and for all.  
  
Reviews would be nice, thankyou. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed.I know it's getting wee bit angst like. Never started out that way, but it just developed.  
  
I still don't own them.  
  
1700, Monday Harms Apartment  
  
Mac had stayed at Harms apartment two weeks, before Alex became notably troubled. He was already undergoing what Harm jokingly referred to as the "terrible tens" he began to pick up on his parent's moods. He noticed that Mac would often be laughing then apparently she would remember -why- she was staying with Harm, and she would become disheartened and quiet, leaving Harm to cover the inevitable awkward silence, with cheerful banter.  
  
Then came the phone calls. Alex was told that Mac and David has split up, and that was why Mac was staying with them, he was told explicitly not to answer the phone, unless it was his parents, grandparents (AJ being included in this category) or his aunt or uncles, Sergi, Bud, Harriet, Keeter or Sturgis or his god father Clayton Webb.  
  
Usually his parents managed to censor the answering machine, but on a night both his parents were working, Harriet, his usual babysitter was away visiting her parents, so the replacement babysitter, Laurel was sitting in the lounge watching TV when Alex heard the answering machine spring to life with the sound of a Drunken David.  
  
"Mac, you you you cheating.I know what you've been doing. Where is Alex? You said I could see him, you said you'd bring him over. You better not be back with that egotistical Naval lawyer, if you are.I'll come over there and kill you, kill him, and kill Alex."  
  
Alex gulped, leant against the wall and sunk to the floor, drawing his knees to his chest. He laid his head on his knees to cry.  
  
"I won't let David. I won't I won't" He mumbled, and brushing away the tears, rose and ran to the door, slipping quietly out, towards David's house. 


	8. The means, the motive and opportunity

A/N I know I havn't written anything in a long long while, but I've been reading a lot, and I've come to love the idea of Clay and Mac and AJ and Mac fanfiction..*sighs softly* I know I know. Anyway flames warm my feet, praise/compliments/constructive criticism makes me love you even more. And I'd be willing to do a story for someone if they gave me a challenge, hopefully on one or both of my new favourite pairings.Oh, and I'll add to this as soon as I can. I do not like the idea of holding a specific number of reviews over your heads, if you like it or dislike it enough, you'll review.  
  
I do not own them Disclaimer: all of these characters etc belong to Donald Bellasario; CBS, NBC, USA and any other network or production company involved. I do not own nor am I making any money off of these characters. I'm just borrowing them for a bit. Promise I won't break them.  
  
0015 Harm's apartment  
  
"Where is he?" Mac slumped to the lounge room floor, sobs wracking her body. Their search for Alex had lasted hours. All his favourite hiding places had been explored and even Clayton Webb Alex's God Father had no clues as to the boy's whereabouts.  
  
Harm rushed to her side, setting himself down on the floor. "We'll find him Sarah." He murmured, "We'll find him."  
  
Clay walked into the room, alarmed at his friend's sobs. "Harm, Sarah, I listened to your answering machine.I think you'd better hear this."  
  
Had either one of them not been so distraught, they would have noticed Clay's usage of the word "your" but they didn't so Harm helped Sarah to her feet and the two moved to where Clay stood, by their.by Harm's answering machine.  
  
"Mac, you you you cheating.I know what you've been doing. Where is Alex? You said I could see him, you said you'd bring him over. You better not be back with that egotistical Naval lawyer, if you are.I'll come over there and kill you, kill him, and kill Alex."  
  
Sarah began to sob once more, Harm growled softly. "He's taken him Clay, he's got our boy."  
  
Clay shook his head. "I'll kill him. He touches that boy.he touches Alex and I'll kill him.  
  
The trio grabbed their coats, Clay already making calls to AJ, Keeter, Sturgis, Bud Harriet as well as Trish and Frank Burnett.  
  
Clay was adamant now, Sarah and Harm might want to kill David, but he had the means, the motive and opportunity to do so. In addition, he thought smugly and not without justification, he would never be caught. 


	9. A note from Rai

Been a long while I know, but life's been pretty hectic, please email me or just review, I've only just started writing again after an extended time, so I'm pretty rusty.  
  
Cheers. Rai.  
  
PS: I remember a story, someone wrote, using my Alternate Universe thinggie as a guide, Unfortunately I've forgotten who that is, if it was you, could you let me know?  
  
*Hugs* 


End file.
